Smaller Communites Will Benifit From High-Speed Rail as local leaders along Minnesota's "River Route" explain in this new 4-min. 19-sec. video from OnBoard Midwest.

 

PRORAIL IS 25 YEARS OLD THIS MONTH, closer than ever to realizing its vision from the start to restore passenger train service to and from Madison.  

We’re celebrating in a variety of ways, starting with a re-launch of this wholly-redesigned Web site. (We’ll continue for now to maintain the Web site we’ve been using in recent years athttp://communities.madison.com/prorail) 

We’ve also pleased to join the Facebook community, where Facebook users can find out what we’re doing and can interact with us via the message comment feature.  Whether you’re on Facebook or not, you can find us at http://tinyurl.com/prorailfacebook  (If on Facebook, you also can search for us from your personal page simply using our name.) 

Supplementing both of these digital faces of ProRail is our Rail Matters Web page on Twitter, at http://twitter.com/railmatters   You also can read our latest posts there at ProRail.com 

Each of these Web sites offer different features and benefits, and help us reach ever more passenger rail users and supporters.  

We'll have news here soon about other ways ProRail will be observing its 25th anniversary during 2010, and preparing for an exciting  next quarter-century.

 

WILL MADISON BE ADDED TO AMTRAK’S NATIONAL SYSTEM?  And if so, when? 

It looks very promising that Madison will be among new routes being added by Amtrak, initially connecting Madison with Milwaukee and Chicago and later with the Twin Cities and intermediate points. 

We should know soon – perhaps by mid-February – whether we’re right and, if so, how much federal funds Wisconsin will receive and when the first trains will arrive.  Right now, it looks like the earliest date for that service will be Jan. 1, 2013.  

It all depends on decisions now being made but not yet announced on which states in a very competitive process will share in the initial allocation of $8 billion in federal grants for higher-speed rail routes.  Wisconsin has applied for about $820 million.  

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation projects service between Madison and Chicago via Milwaukee can start three years from when the federal funds are allocated. That time is needed to rebuild track, install signaling, obtain train sets to be built for the route, and construct facilities for passengers. A subsequent phase will add Madison-Twin Cities service. 

The Business Journal of Milwaukee reports that state officials are convinced Wisconsin will be getting nearly $820 million in federal dollars for an 85-mile Milwaukee-Madison high speed rail route, with about 1 hour service starting Jan. 1, 2013. 
 
Read the full text of the report here  (link: http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2010/01/18/story1.html?b=1263790800^2737151)

 

THE STATE OF MINNESOTA HAS RELEASED ITS FIRST-EVER COMPREHENSIVE RAIL PLAN, setting the stage for planned multiple fast trains in daily service between the Twin Cities and Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and other intermediate points.  

It will have major influence on the debate over and design of the northern part of the Chicago-Twin Cities route. It also proposes the Twin Cities as not just the northern terminus of Chicago-Twin Cities rail travel, but as a passenger rail hub with other trains to and from Eau Claire (Wis.), Duluth, St. Cloud and other Minnesota communities, and perhaps even Winnipeg.  

Click here for the news account and to view reader comments (link: http://www.startribune.com/local/east/80451547.html), here for a map showing the routes and their priority (link: http://www.startribune.com/newsgraphics/80453212.html?elr=KArks:DCiUtEia_nDaycUiacyKUUr), and here for the plan and information about public hearings on it. (link:http://www.dot.state.mn.us/planning/railplan/index.html)